Page 30 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

“Got a report on a meth lab,” Dan said.

“Can’t the locals handle that?”

“Forest service officers have shut it down, but you need to look into it.”

She bit her lower lip. “I think this murder and the apparent stash of artifacts is complicated, Dan. I’d like to stay focused on this.” They were all spread far too thin.

“Because of the murder, the archaeological crime is a priority. I trust you know how to juggle your caseload. But let me know if that becomes an issue.” He ended the call.

Terra slammed the steering wheel. One moment he complimented her, the next he challenged her abilities. She suspected that Dan hadn’t liked that she’d gotten the job as a special agent. She’d heard that he had a friend he’d wanted for the position. She half-suspected that Gramps had put in a good word for her. If he had, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

Her heart rate calmed, and she realized that Jack was still sitting in his vehicle. Was he waiting on her to leave? She steered away from the trailhead, and he followed her into Big Rapids. She wasn’t sure where he was going. They hadn’t discussed doing more today, but lunch and dinner had come and gone, and she was starving.

Jack turned left on Main Street, which meant he was probably heading for the county offices. She would have asked him to grab a bite with her, but she needed space from the investigation. Time to think about these new developments. And she needed distance from Jack.

She steered toward her grandfather’s ranch, which required her to drive a curvy mountain road for about twenty miles. No one would be there to greet her tonight since Owen and Gramps were in Idaho to meet with an equestrian therapist. She was proud of her brother and hoped he would be able to secure the right connections to make this dream happen. With Gramps accompanying him, the chances were good.

She struggled to keep her mind focused on the road ahead of her. Gripping the steering wheel, she leaned forward, closer to the windshield, as though that would help her vision. Dusk, combined with the steady downpour, made navigating the curvy road troublesome.

A set of headlights had been following her since she left town. Someone else had the same treacherous drive tonight.

Or not.

Darkness seemed to grip her soul. Maybe it was Jim’s murder—stabbed in the back, then tossed from a cliff—along with her discovery today that made her a little paranoid.

The forest she loved so much was no longer safe in this day and age, a morbid fact that was confirmed for her more each day on her job.

As the headlights behind her kept pace, her uneasiness grew. The car behind her was probably just a weary traveler like she was.

To test that theory, she turned down a road that led her away from the ranch. Sure enough, the car turned as well.

Next test.

She increased her speed. If the vehicle following also increased their speed, that would tell her something.

The vehicle not only kept pace—it sped up.